In the Generation I and II games and their remakes, wild Snorlax can be found sleeping in inconvenient locations throughout Kanto. In order to catch one, a Trainer must first awaken it with music from either a Poké Flute or Pokégear set to the Poké Flute channel.

Biology

Physiology

Snorlax's body is composed of mostly its belly, where most of its fat reserves accumulate. It wakes up only to eat and seldom exercises. Its head is also large, and it has two pointed teeth protruding from its mouth. It has two eyes that are rarely seen open, giving it the appearance that it is sleeping. Its two hind feet, with three claws and a circular brown paw pad, are extremely large compared to most Pokémon, assisting its balance when it chooses to stand. Its arms and fore claws are short, but are long enough for Snorlax to grab its food and eat it, and strong enough to deliver powerful blows. It is usually dark blue or green in color.

Gender differences

None

Special abilities

When trained and exercised properly, Snorlax can gain supreme strength and ability. They can throw incredibly powerful punches and cause immense earthquakes. Snorlax have a strong digestion system, allowing them to eat anything (even moldy food) without getting an upset stomach.

Behavior

Snorlax spend the majority of their time sleeping, surviving on their stored fat. Many Snorlax only awaken once a month, spending their waking time finding more food. A hungry Snorlax is not satisfied until it consumes 900 pounds of food, and then it goes back to sleep. If one ever sees a sleeping Snorlax, he or she should not wake it up, because these Pokémon become very grumpy if their peaceful dreams become interrupted. Several Psychic-type Pokémon using Dream Eater find this out the hard way. Aside from this, they are very docile and even allow children to bounce on their big bellies.

Habitat

Snorlax are often in mountains and forests. However, they sometimes wander into towns and streets and sleep there. They have been documented in Kanto, and evidence suggests that they could be found in Sinnoh.

Diet

Snorlax are not picky, and will eat anything and everything that is edible---even other Pokémon. (as evidenced by a Snorlax's attempt to eat Misty's Goldeen in Snack Attack) They are fond of large, thorny vines or their diet may compose of bananas found in grasslands. Snorlax only wake up to eat. They need to eat about 900lbs (90% of their bodyweight) to be satisfied before falling back to sleep. Some Snorlax sleep for a month at a time, so 900lbs of food is enough to sustain them for at least one month whilst asleep.

In The Garden of Eatin', another Snorlax was causing trouble for a man named Marcel by eating the bananas in his Slakoth Banana Garden. Marcel's newly evolved Vigoroth defeated the Snorlax, allowing him to capture it. Afterwards, Marcel made an attraction around his new Snorlax: a relaxation room.

In the manga

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

Ash found Snorlax eating all of the fruit on the Seven Grapefruit Islands. With the help of Ruby and Jigglypuff, Ash managed to defeat and capture the Snorlax. Snorlax made no further major appearances after that chapter.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Red caught a Snorlax on Route 12 during a bike race sponsored by Miracle Cycle, awakening it by exploiting its gluttonous nature with the Beedrill honey left on Saur's head. Afterwards, it became one of Red's favorite fighters, allowing him to stop Green after she stole his money (only to discover later that she then seized his Badges during the ensuing fight), and overcome dozens of challenges along his journey with few defeats, being able to force Blue to recall his Machamp, and even stop a full-speed train in its tracks much later on in the Gold, Silver, & Crystal chapter. In addition, to date, it is his highest-level party Pokémon at level 89.

Snorlax does the same maneuver as it did in the previous game, but covers a smaller area.

Snorlax is also a Poké Float. It is lying down asleep and so fighting occurs on its head and belly.

Melee trophy information

Snorlax love to sleep and love to eat: these portly Pokémon get grumpy if they don't get 888 pounds of food per day. After snacking out, they always nap. They have cast-iron stomachs and can eat moldy and even rotten food with no digestion problems. They are the heaviest Pokémon on record, weighing in at over 1,000 pounds.

Brawl trophy information

"A Sleeping Pokémon. It's the ultimate loafer. Sometimes children like to play on top its big belly. Once in a slumber, not even the hardest rain or the fiercest wind will wake it. Snorlax recovers health and restores its physical state by sleeping, and it proves daunting with its damaging Snore attack. Snorlax is the king of Sleeping Pokémon."

Game data

NPC appearances

Pokémon Ranger: Snorlax will be seen sleeping throughout the game, effectively cutting off certain areas until later on. It will eventually remain in a cave in the Sekra Range. Once the rest of the Ranger Browser has been completed, it will wake up and can be captured.

Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum are the only games in which Snorlax is in the regional Pokédex and is not encountered as an obstacle that is blocking a route.

In HeartGold and SoulSilver, if the player interacts with a Snorlax that is walking with them while at Mt. Silver, the message "SNORLAX is feeling very eager" will appear. This due to Red, who is also at Mt. Silver, owning a Snorlax as well. While on Mt. Silver, unique messages will also appear if the player's walking Pokémon is a Pikachu or Charizard.

Until Munchlax was introduced in Generation IV, Snorlax had the highest base stat total of any non-evolving Pokémon with 540.

It remains the most powerful non-legendary Pokémon that can legitimately hatch from an Egg in terms of base stat total.

Origin

Snorlax may be loosely based on hibernatingbears or teddy bears. It may also be based on the large, cave dwelling bears, Ursus spelaeus. It may also be based on a food coma, as it eats large quantities of food, then takes a nap (symptoms of a food coma).

Name origin

Snorlax is a combination of snore and lax or relax.

Kabigon is the nickname of Game Freak programmer Kōji Nishino. The nickname comes from the time he was so hungry he ate moldy (黴 kabi) food from the office fridge.[citation needed] This is referenced in Black 2 and White 2, where Nishino appears as a battleable NPC and his highest-leveled Pokémon is Snorlax.

In other languages

Language

Title

Meaning

Japanese

カビゴン Kabigon

Kabigon may come from an alternate reading of sleep, 寐 bi, and a corruption of 鼾酔 kansui or 憩う ikou.